Ron's Request
by RonaldAndMione
Summary: There's something special Ron wants for his 17th birthday and it's not for his Transfiguration essay to be done... although that would be nice.


**Originally, I had planned on posting the companion piece to September today, and another story on my birthday next week. Unfortunately, two days ago the computer I had my files on completely broke down, and I have lost all my stories, Ron/Hermione pictures, etc. I was not happy. In fact, I was devastated. However, I was also determined to get something Ron-themed out on his birthday. So on the train in the morning, in the afternoon, for the past two days I've been typing away on my phone, trying to get something out. I've tried to fix any mistakes, but because I was typing on my phone on a moving train, there may be a few more than usual that escaped my notice. I'm not particularly happy with this, but it's the best I can do considering the circumstances, and I think it'll do. I'm now going to try and finish the story I wanted to put up for my birthday, one I was really proud of, but unfortunately lost. I hope you'll get to read it next week.**

**Happy Birthday, Ron Weasley.**

**Disclaimer: Remember, J.K. Rowling created _Harry Potter_, not me.**

Ron's Request

_Focus, Ron. You can do this._ His head dropped down lower, hitting the hard wooden table. "Bloody hell!" he exclaimed. Fellow students glared at him. "Sorry," he said, this time in a quieter voice, hoping Madam Pince hadn't heard him. She would kick him out of the library in an instant, and he needed the books in the library and the time away from Lavender so he could finish his essay.

_Focus, Ron. Gamp's Law of Elemental Transfiguration. You can do this. What can't you conjure? What can't you conjure… why didn't I pay attention when Hermione was babbling on about this in class?_

He'd never realised how much he relied on Hermione for everything in his life until she was gone. His grades were now slipping very quickly. Ron just never had time to do homework, what with Quidditch, Hermione hating him and Lavender... well, it was mainly Lavender's fault he never had time to do anything.

It wasn't just the homework help Ron missed. He missed everything about her. No longer did she run up to him at the end of a Quidditch match and give him one of her warm hugs. No longer did she exclaim in wonder when he ate disgusting Ever Flavour Beans to impress her. No longer did she nag him about eating neatly whilst trying to hide a small smile- oh bloody hell, he missed that smile. Nowaways, it seemed Hermione was always sad, with a pale face and bags under her eyes indicating she had a horrible time sleeping. Ron wished he could help her, but Hermione didn't want anything to do with him.

Ron huffed and placed his quill down on the parchment, aware it wasn't going to be used for awhile. Hermione. Ron let out another annoyed sigh. _Why can't she help me? She helps anyone with homework!_

Evidently, not him though. Or at least, not him anymore. Before Ron had started seeing Lavender, Hermione had gladly helped him with any issues he had with homework, or anything at all, really. Now she was unable to stay in the same room with him, except for classes, where the only times she'd look at him was to give him a glare or a smug smirk. Prefect patrols were excruciating. Hermione and Ron had been forced to patrol together once Professor McGonnagall noticed they had been going off by themselves. Now, as they walked, Hermione would look straight ahead and ignore anything Ron said to try and fix this mess they had landed themselves in.

It was during last night's prefect patrol that he'd asked her to help his with his late Transfiguration essay. He desperately needed her advice, and he wanted more than anything for her to talk to him again. He missed her terribly, and she was acting like she didn't care that they had six years of friendship together.

Instead, Hermione had told him it was his fault he was too busy shoving his tongue down Lav-Lav's throat to do his late essays, and that she would not give up her free time to help him. Ron had retaliated – stupidly – by telling her she never had free time, she was always reading. Hermione had said that she preferred studying subjects of actual use, as knowing the insides of Lavender's mouth was not an component in N.E.W.T.'s. Ron had rolled his eyes at that and begged her to help him. Hermione said no once more, and marched off, walking ten steps ahead of Ron and not saying a word for the rest of the walk.

Now things between Hermione were worse than ever, and Ron was stuck with an annoyingly clingy girlfriend and a barely written on sheet of parchment. He had no idea what to do now with his essay. He'd written his introduction to Gamp's Law of Elemental Transfiguration, but as to what it included, or what it meant, even, Ron had no idea.

"Okay, what can't you conjure?" Ron murmured quietly to himself. "Hermione's forgiveness, unfortunately, but I'm sure Gamp wasn't talking about that. Maybe he did have a girl that drove him crazy too, and that actually _was_ part of his law of elemental transfiguration..."

"If you want Hermione's forgiveness, perhaps you shouldnt say she drives you crazy out loud when she's nearby." someone said.

Ron turned around in his seat and smiled at the sight before him. "Hermione," he said softly. The sight of her was so refreshing. He felt shivers and goosebumps all over his skin as he watched her. Her hair was tied back in a plait and she was holding books under her right arm. She looked wonderful to him.

"I see you managed to find some time to part from Lav-Lav to work on that long overdue essay." Hermione remarked.

"Hermione," Ron said pleadingly, ignoring her snide remark and instead focusing on the fact that she was here. Boy, how he missed her. "I need your help. Please, help me."

"You got yourself into this mess, I am not going to help you get out of this one. You need to do it yourself."

Suddenly Ron was whisked back to a conversation he had had with Hermione two weeks ago, on Valentine's Day. He had a feeling Hermione was not only talking about the mess he had with schoolwork.

"It seems that the only time you want me around is to sort things out for you." Hermione continued. "I'm more than a homework buddy, Ron!" Ron's eyes widened slightly. Hermione had spoken his name. He felt a small thrill - she had been calling him Won-Won over the past few months. He hadnt heard her say Ron is such a long time. It was a beautiful sound when it came from hermione's lips. Bloody hell, how he wanted her back in his life. He'd even settle with her as a friend, although he was hoping that somehow Lavender ended it and Hermione fell into his arms. There wasn't much chance of that happening, though.

"I know you are." Ron said. "You're more to me than that." _Bloody hell,_ so _much more to me than a simple homework buddy._

Hermione rolled her eyes. "I'm always a back up for you. Whenever someone prettier and more fun comes along, you just throw me aside like Im a crumbed piece of parchment."

"That's not true." Ron said sternly, although he could see why Hermione thought that.

Hermione sighed loudly, exasperated. "Why do you think Im mad at you?" she exclaimed.

"You're more to me than homework help, Hermione!" Ron said, letting out a deep breath. "You're my best friend." Hermione sighed, sounding awfully tired. "And you are pretty, and you are fun." he added, blushing slightly. _If only she knew how much prettier and more fun she was than Lavender to me._ "I want you back."

Hermione looked up at him with a sad expression. "We can't go back, Ron. The fact that you dont see that means you _still_ don't get it."

Sometimes he hated how much smarter she was than him. It made him feel like a complete idiot when really, he was like everyone else. "Look, Hermione, I'm sorry I'm not as smart as you, but I just don't know what to do."

Hermione nodded sadly and began to walk past him. He heard the thud of her footstepts behind him. Ron suddenly realised this could be the last conversation they have for weeks, and he didnt want it to end like this. He needed to try to fix his, and he needed to ask her a huge, but extremely important favour which he'd been meaning to mention to her for weeks. If he didn't do this now, he'd never work up the courage again in time.

"Hermione!" Ron exclaimed, turning around quickly and walking over to her. He grasped her clad forearm, and though Hermione's uniform was very thick, he still heard her gasp at the contact. He, too, felt a small rush of excitement inside him.

"Ron, I really have to-"

"Just please, I'm begging you, do this for me -" Ron began.

Hermione looked positively outraged. "Ronald Weasley, I am _not_ going to do your transfiguration essay-"

"Not that!" Ron exclaimed, the essay the last thing on his mind. There was something much more important he had to do. "Its something else."

Rather than reply, Hermione huffed and crossed her arms, to indicate she was listening, her books uncomfortably between them.

"Okay," Ron said. "Uh, well, my birthday is on Saturday."

Before Hermione could say there was no way she was getting him a present - because he knew, he just knew she would - he continued. "I'm not asking for any items, or anything. Im not expecting anything. I just... there's one thing I want more than anything... and thats you." Realising how that sounded, the tips of Rons ears turned red. "And me to be friends," he quickly added. _Although I wouldnt mind having her as more than a friend_, he thought.

Hermione looked utterly torn. "Ron, I told you -"

"I know, I know," Ron said. "It's not easy... But we've been... _were_... friends for six years, and, if that meant even half as much to you as it did to me... Would you bring it back to me, just for a day?"

Her beautiful face softened. "Ron," she breathed.

"Just spend the day with me. Not even a day, if you want, even a half an hour. We could do whatever you want. Chess, homework... I wouldn't mind spending my birthday in the library studying."

Hermione watched him warily. "You'd spend half an hour of your birthday doing unnecessary extra studying?"

Ron swallowed thickly. "With you, yes."

Hermione let out a loud sigh. "That's very sweet, Ron, but-"

Ron couldn't bear hearing the rest of it. "Just think about it, please. We'll do whatever you want. I just want you."

It seemed Hermione didn't know what else to say. Ron took the opportunity to give her one last smile. "So, yeah, if you change your mind..." _Please change your mind_, "you can just come up to me on Saturday and tell me what you want to do."

Hermione looked uncertain, but nodded anyway. "Okay." she said softly. "Bye."

Ron watched her as she walked away, feeling horribly sad and alone already. _She said she'll think about it_, he reminded himself. _It's a maybe_. Ron glanced down at the table. His essay was still lying there, waiting to be finished. The quill had dripped a small blob of ink on the table as it lay, having been disregarded by Ron during his and Hermione's conversation. The book was also there- What book?

Ron frowned and picked up the green textbook. _Gamp's Law of Elemental Trasfiguration - the law, the exceptions and why they are what they are. _Ron felt the beginning's of a smile on his face. _I never had that book here... _Ron looked up in the direction Hermione had left. He could almost see her walking off, the brown plait swinging from side to side. He remembered how she had continued to walk, and after a moment Ron had turned around to stop her, hearing the thud of her footsteps... that thud was not her footsteps, because, really, when would Hermione make such sounds with her feet? No, Hermione had left the book for him. It couldn't be anything else. The smile on Ron's face grew even larger as he sat down to do his essay.

_She might. She might make it the best birthday ever for me._

**I know it's not my best, but I'd love to hear from you anyway. Please leave a review, for Ron? ;)**


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